Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted at his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his intention to expand his military offensive to Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, as the “only way to defeat Hamas.”

“Today I met with the US Secretary of State. I told him that I greatly appreciate that for more than five months we have been together in the war against Hamas and that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the war zones and, of course, attend to humanitarian needs. We are working on it,” Netanyahu said in a video message.

Blinken arrived this morning in Tel Aviv on his sixth tour of the Middle East since the war began in the Strip to promote a truce agreement and exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, in addition to allowing the entry of more humanitarian aid to the enclave, where half of the population is at risk of imminent famine.

I also told him that we have no way to defeat Hamas without going to Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions that are there. I told him that I hope to have the support of the United States, but if necessary we will do it alone,” said Netanyahu, who does not seem willing to give in in his objective of invading Rafah even if the United States considers it a “red line.”

More than 1.4 million people displaced by violence currently live in Rafah, more than half of the population of the enclave, although Israel claims to have an unrevealed plan to evacuate the civilian population.

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After visiting Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Blinken landed in Israel, where as soon as he landed he met with Netanyahu; then with the Minister of the Cabinet of War – and member of the opposition – Benny Gantz; and he plans to meet later with the entire War Cabinet and with representatives of the families of the kidnapped.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, the Israeli Army claimed to have “eliminated” about 150 alleged fighters in its military operation in the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the largest in the Strip, whose siege began on Monday with the argument that hundreds of militiamen were hiding in it.

“So far, the forces have eliminated more than 150 terrorists in the hospital area, arrested hundreds of suspects and located weapons and terrorist infrastructure,” a military statement reported.

“This is an operation with the largest number of terrorists arrested since the beginning of the war,” Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said last night.

Among the detainees – more than 500 according to the Army – are three senior officials of Hamas in the occupied West Bank and several members of the “chain of command” of Islamic Jihad.

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About its military activities in the rest of the Strip, the Army confirmed the attack on a tunnel and a military complex in the center of the Strip, from where on Thursday projectiles were launched towards the Beeri kibutz, in southern Israel.

The Nahal Brigade, which operates in central Gaza, also killed “dozens of terrorists” in recent days, with fire from snipers, tanks and airplanes, according to the military.

In addition, Israeli troops have continued their operations in Jan Yunis, the main city in the south of the enclave, for three and a half months.